We were lucky to catch up with Iris Garcia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Iris thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I hope for many things, but I truly hope to leave behind a legacy that promotes healing and that which leads to generational curses being broken. Healing is so essential for our mind, bodies, spirits, and soul. It is the very essence that creates purpose and passion. Healing is more important than money, fame, fortune, and status. Healing is the fountain of youth and life. It is the air that we breathe, and the liberation that promotes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As a child, I endured sexual and physical abuse from a non-relative. This experience shaped my well-being as a daughter, mother, wife, and ultimately, as a woman. It was not until years later I realized how essential my personal healing would become. I began my healing process over 20 years ago. My journey towards healing has cost me everything. I’ve lost friends, family, and opportunities that were not meant for me. I’ve had to travel to uncomfortable areas of my past, which I understood was all a part of the process. I often asked myself, why did I have to endure these sorts of experiences? Why would anyone desire to harm a child or traumatize an innocent being in such a way? It was not until many years later I would come to realize the impact I would be destined to lead many from the same place of hurt, pain, turmoil, into healing and restoration. I stand proud to say, I am an overcomer.

I know I am a world changer. I’ve been called to lead a multitude of people back to a place of healing and hope. This is my purpose, to help others heal and I am here for it all the way!

I say all of this to say, as a business owner it is important to train, teach, and pour into others the knowledge and wisdom I have been able to obtain. Through my administration and real estate firm, I love helping small business owners grow their business from the ground up. Also, I have a desire to serve others by cooking food through my catering services. Most of all, I love being a wife, mother, daughter, and friend to so many!

Iris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a wife first, and then a mother, daughter, friend, and last, a business owner and in that order! My passion has led me to lead administrative initiatives in various places domestically and internationally. Those initiatives have served in Federal, State, Local Government, Medical, Legal, and Non-Profit sector. I started having a passion for Administration at an early age. I can recall going to work with my mom at her legal office in DC as a small child. I loved the logistics of administration, the files, systems, protocols, and procedures. It all seemed at the time, quite interesting to me. I also picked up the love of cooking as I use to watch my grandmother in the kitchen. She would make everything fresh, nothing was canned or manipulated by unnatural flavors. She did everything organically. I believe she was well ahead of her time in the kitchen. By experiencing these opportunities, it birthed in me the gift of administration and the love of cooking in my life.

About 10 years ago, I started my Administrative firm, Executive Support Services! In 2022, after we were plagued with the pandemic, I opened my catering business. I saw there was a need and an area to support working families with meal prepping and catering services. I went from cooking for 1 to 3 meals to conducting 200-400 person catering events for individuals and companies all throughout Houston. I could not have done it without an amazing team. Kudos to Josh Weber, Dena Gray, Ava Garcia, and Pamela Hargrove!

There is a difference in being called to do something as opposed to operating in your divine purpose. Both of which make a huge impact. To better understand, when you are called to do something, this could be a temporal experience. One that has an expiration date. Being called will allow you to make an impression in or at the location you are functioning in/from. Whereas, when you are purposed or born to do something, you are destined to make a global impact. Nations will recognize your name, you will sit with kings and queens. Your purpose will lead you to formulate lifelong relationships that will prompt you to operate in your destiny. Going back to why it is so important to get your healing and to understand who you were born to be.

I am proud of being a wife to a husband who loves and supports me. He is my life partner and best friend. Edmund and I celebrate our 17 year anniversary, June 2023. Secondly, I am proud of being a successful mother to four (4) amazing daughters who brighten up my days too often than others. Kyra, Cameron, Ava, and Elle, mommy loves you. Thirdly, the wonderful lifelong friends I have made along the way who have supported, guided, and given me the tools to accomplish my mission, visions, and goals. Thank you Bishop Shon and Dena Gray of Greater Works Ministries. Lastly, the opportunity to work alongside some amazing global leaders. I have administered wisdom to leaders in very high places. These leaders have mentored and influenced me both privately and professionally. Through my business Administrative firm (Executive Support Services) I have supported efforts both domestically and internationally to small and large corporations. My drive and passion to feed the multitude has led me to initiatives such as supplying water to over 1000 families during the Houston Ice freeze and rescuing over 100 families during Hurricane Harvey through our non-profit organization called Greater Works Ministries, to whom I have been a proud board member of since the establishment, 2006. Our efforts during Hurricane Harvey gained recognition on the air waves of CNN. As well, managing and operating Iris’ Kitchen, working alongside my partner and team for catering events in and throughout the City of Houston. I am truly humbled and grateful for all of my experiences.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I have learned that even those in leadership are subjected to individuals who follow their lead. A good leader is one who must first master the art of being led. Leadership is not about dictating or giving commands, it is about being leading with a heart of compassion. Leadership is relational. We are all humans and we all wake up putting our pants on the same exact way. COVID has driven leadership to an innovative space to companies understanding the importance of mental health (going back to that special word again, “healing”). Our mental health as leaders is first important, but also understanding how important it is for others to operate in a healthy mental space.

My advice to my team is to never be afraid to communicate when you are going through troubled waters. You will not be judged, you will not be ridiculed, but rather you will find yourself being embraced by another human being who will understand and provide the type of support that will be needed. This is what I have found to maintain healthy working relationships and maintaining a high morale in and throughout team efforts.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I could share many stories, but one in particular is one that changed my life as a professional. I can recall when I was a young Executive Admin. I worked in a 3-Star Army Generals Executive office in the Pentagon. During this time, one of the leading Commanding Officers came to my desk and pretty much in a nutshell told me off in front of the entire Executive team. I was totally embarrassed. After he left our office, I immediately went to my SEOs office and explained what happened. I told my SEO at the time that I was going to go to him in private and let him know not to ever talk to me like that again. After receiving permission from my SEO, I went to his office. I was a little nervous, but determined to accomplish what I set out to be vindication. I sat down and explained to him that he will never talk to me like that again. I was not his soldier and I was not in the Army. I was a Contractor. I laid it out to him and I knew there was no turning back. There was a brief pause of silence. He looked at me and I looked at him. Finally, he said to me, Iris , I apologize! He began to explain to me that he was having a hard time and having issues at home. I realized even this leader needed to heal. This was a turning point for me in my professional career. I left understanding the importance of communication and being assertive, but also how detrimental emotional leadership can be on team members. I promised myself to never be that sort of leader. I made a vow to be different!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ineedadministration.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/iriskitchen2.0
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/iris-m-g77347976
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/PLlHRiSvfJI
• Other: Our book: Rich Relationships – Our Marital Code to Oneness (Visionary Authors Iris and Edmund Garcia). Top seller on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/173570184X?ref_=cm_sw_r_apan_dp_JZP1XP7MYG2HKP00AYRN&fbclid=IwAR0tldimn9I80KdBm83ZjFZDlzzpGXiTePLwXMTeyrnyzOrogr4JVrcWlEs

Image Credits
Images by Greater Works Ministries and Iris’ Kitchen